What The Heck Is Bossaball?

What do you get when you cross soccer, volleyball, and trampolines? Bossaball! When you watch a video of a bossaball match, prepare to be amazed. Originating in Spain, it’s a dynamic sport with a flair for dramatic style. This crazy new sport is unique, but how do you play?

Two teams of 4-5 players compete against each other. These matches take place on an inflatable court, where players can bounce high to pass and spike the ball. Players can complete only one touch on the ball each at a time, totaling five touches on their side before the ball is hit to the other team. Scoring points in Bossaball is similar to volleyball, as you can score directly or from an opponent’s mistake.

Using your hands and feet to score ultimately changes the points rewarded, and hitting different areas of your opponent’s court also changes the reward. So, the scoring system is as follows: 1 point to hit the ball with your hands into opponents playing area and three points to hit the opponent’s trampoline area. Scoring with a soccer touch, which is with any part of the body except hands, is more challenging and thus, more rewarding. It’s three points to hit the ball with your feet into the opponent’s playing area and five points to hit the opponent’s trampoline area.

Bossaball isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes coordination, acrobatics, and balls of steel to do flips, tricks, and score points. To add to the drama, there are DJ’s mixing music live at competitions to keep the blood flowing. Music is a crucial component to Spanish culture and Bossaball is no exception. Even the officials are called Samba Referees! This new fad is primarily gaining popularity in areas of Western Europe, so don’t expect it to replace Sunday Night Football anytime soon, but it’s still awesome to watch all the videos!